A Life Worth Living: Fighting Filicide Against Children With Disabilities

This article aims to explore filicide as it relates to children with disabilities. Filicide is a specific type of killing where a parent murders his or her own child. Part II gives a historical perspective on filicide. Part II also explains the various reasons behind filicide and why those reasons specifically apply to the killings of children with disabilities. Further, Part III explores the relationship between sentencing disparities in cases where society sympathizes with the parents of children with disabilities and condemns parents of nondisabled children. Part III also argues that children with disabilities face additional barriers in the fight for access to justice than their victimized, nondisabled counterparts. Part IV concludes by proposing a solution as to how Western society could end filicide against disabled children by protecting them from parents and caregivers who may possibly endanger their lives. Part IV also offers a final reflection on why the lives of children with disabilities deserve to be protected and cherished